Changeable sign



July 31, 1928. 1,678,684

M.- R. THROWER CHANGEABLE smn Filed April 18. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet v1Inventor m ran e2;

Attornq'y July 31, 1928,.

M. R. THROW ER CHANGEABLE 5 IGN Filed April 18, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Hi2. Thrower July 31, 1928. 1,678,684

M. R. THROWER" CHANGEABLE' SIGN Filed A ril la, 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 6yzz.

In 'vm tar JEUZ. T/zrower;

Patented July 31, v1928.

UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE;

MARION n. 'rnnownn, or TUCKERMAN, ARKANSAS, Ass'renon "to n. nrannorm,or

TUCKERMAN, ARKANSAS.

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

' Application filed April 18, 1927. Serial No 184,650.

The present inventionrelates to a change able sign of the rotary typeand has for its principal object to provide a structure comprising acasing with a rotatable element mounted the-rein having a plurality ofilluminated signs which are brought successively in registry with atransparent paneled opening in the casing. Another very important objectof the invention lies in the provision of a device of this naturewhichis simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture,thoroughly eficient and reliable in its operation, and otherwise welladapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

lVith the above and numerous other ob? jects in view as will appear asthe description proceeds, theinvention resides in can tain novelfeatures of construction, and in the combination? and arrangements ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully. described and claimed. v

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse section therethrough,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough,

Figure 4 is a detail transverse section taken substantially on the line44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 2,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the contact discs,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective showing a portion of the contactring on said disc,

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail section showing the brake structure,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section therethrough,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal horizontal section therethrough.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the numeral 5denotes a cylindrical casing having one end open with a hinged closure 6therefor. This cylindrical casing is provided with a longitudinallyextending opening 7. The numeral 9 denotes a drum mounted on end discs10 and 11 and having a plurality of openings 12 with transparent panels8'mounted therein. ne end discs 10 and 11 "are mounted on a shaft 14contacts 22 and 23 will be in. circuit with a 7 suitable source ofelectrical energy. .Wires 25 and 26 are. connected respectively withrings 18 and 21 and are electrically connected with an incandescent bulb27'carried by a bracket 28 on the shaft 14 within the drum 9. A starwheel 30'is fixed to the shaft 14 between partition 15 and the-adjacentend of the casing 5. A housing 31 is disposed in the casing adjacent thelast mentioned'end and has a shaft 32 journalled therein with a wormgear 34 thereon. A crank 35 is mounted on the end of the shaft 32 forengaging the star wheel 30 so that as the shaft 31 is rotated anintermittent rotation is imparted to the shaft 14. The worm gear 34isrotated by a worm 36 fixed on a shaft 37 journalled in the housing 31and having a pulley 38 onthe exterior end thereof to receive a belt froma suitable source such as an electric motor or other prime mover. Abralre structure is disclosed to advantage in Figure 8 and comprises acasing 40 extended through an opening in partition 16 and having aspring pressed plunger 41 therein frictionally engaged with the disc end11.

From the above detailed description it will be-readily apparent thatupon the continued rotation of the pulley 38 an intermittent rotation isimparted to the shaft 14 as explained so that the transparent panels 8which will have suitable advertising indicia thereon will be broughtsuccessively before the opening 7 in the casing 5 so as to be visibleand the incandescent bulb 27 will be out when the drum is moving andthen will light as the drum comes to a standstill and of course thecontacts 19 are so arranged as to accomplish this purpose.

In Figures 9 to 11 another embodimentof the invention has been disclosedwherein there is shown a casing 5 which is of a par- Y there are twodrums 9 mounted in a allelopiped formation having openings or slots 7 inthe ends thereof. In this casing vation in Figure 11. It is thought thatthis embodiment of the invention will be quite apparent without a moredetailed description in View of the description of'the first embodiment.

These embodiments of the invention which I have disclosed present theinvention in a very simple, eflicient and reliable manner, butnevertheless have been illustrated and described merely by way ofexamples since in actual practice they attain the features of advantageenumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the abovedescription. It will be quite apparent that numerous changes in thedetails of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is: I A deviceof the class described comprising ,ried by the bracket within the drum,a pair of discs on the shaft outside of the drum between one end of thedrum and said other partition, a continuous conductor band on one of thediscs, a plurality of spaced contacts on the other disc electricallyconnected together, means for electrically connecting the conductors onthe discs with the incandescent bulb, brushes engageable with theconductors, a star wheel on the shaft between said closed end of thecasing and said other partition, a housing within the casing at saidclosed end thereof, a rotatable shaft journaled in the housing, and acrank on the last mentioned shaft engageable with the star wheel forimparting an intermittent rotation to the first shaft and the drumthere-- on when the second shaft is in operation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MARION R.- THROWER.

